


Introducing Grey

by katikat



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-01
Updated: 2010-04-01
Packaged: 2017-10-08 14:19:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katikat/pseuds/katikat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coda to ep 113. Peter and El talk about Neal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Introducing Grey

The dining room was dark, illuminated only by the light spilling from the kitchen doorway. Peter was sitting at the table, beer in one hand, Neal's latest origami piece in the other. It was a little frog he had found in his car, sitting unassumingly on the dashboard.

There was the sound of soft steps on the stairs, and a second later El appeared from around the bookcase, all tousled and sleepy. "Hey, honey. Why aren't you in bed?" she murmured, leaning into him and kissing the top of his head. Seeing the little frog that dangled from Peter's grasp by its leg, she guessed: "Neal?"

Peter sighed. He set the half-empty bottle aside and hugged his wife around the waist. "He'll do something stupid, El. I know it," Peter said in a low voice. "And this time, I won't be able to save him."

El ran her fingers through his hair. "Have you tried talking to him?"

"I talked, I reasoned, I even threatened him - and you know how I hate threats - but I just can't seem to get through to him!" Peter hated how frustrated, angry and even hurt he felt. When did the whole thing with Neal stopped being about work and became personal?

"So there's nothing you can do?" El asked sympathetically.

Peter dropped the paper frog on the table and sighed. "Nothing legal."

El didn't say anything, she didn't judge or object. She held him close, offering silent support as he mulled over what he just said out loud.

Until he met Neal, everything was either black or white. But Neal introduced shades of grey into Peter's life and the line between good and wrong that used to be so distinct--his whole life--was starting to smudge.

"It scares me," Peter admitted slowly, "It scares me how far I'm willing to go for him, El. If I start bending the rules for Neal, where will it end?"

El rubbed his shoulder and kissed the top of his head again. "Well, whatever you decide, honey, I'm with you. If you decide that Neal's worth the risk, I'll be with you."

Peter turned his head and burrowed his face into her midriff, inhaling her scent. "I love you, you know that, right?"

El grinned at him. "Of course! I'm awesome. What's there not to love?"

Peter smiled. He was a lucky man. No matter what.

The End


End file.
